Alternative Health for Baby Boomers
Over the past decade, the use of complementary therapies is becoming more and more popular. There was an essential increase in the use of these therapies since year 1990, and about 40% of baby boomers used some form of complementary therapy to live longer as they approach retirement.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is an intervention, which may bring great advantage for baby boomers, especially those who have agitation and dementia. This therapy has been used for more than 6000 years as an illness remedy. The aromatherapy procedure is by administering essential oils through topical application or inhalation for therapeutic purposes. Among the benefits of aromatherapy is that the nursing staffs are also receiving benefits from the therapy when they work in the areas in which the therapy is administered.
Music therapy
Music therapy has been a complementary therapy that may bring lots of advantages for baby boomers. It has been believed that this kind of therapy is a great option for older people as it is not expensive, easily administered, non-invasive, and safe. Other than pain reduction, music is also providing a sense of control to older people when they are permitted to select the kind of music that they want to listen to, and when they can play the music each time they want.
Animal-assisted therapy
Animals are among the most essentials parts of the lives of many people, and it is also a source of
companionship, as well as social support. This kind of therapy is a complementary therapy, which may have an enormous impact on the quality of life of baby boomers. Visiting animals or having animals can essentially reduce the feelings of loneliness, especially in people with a life history of emotional intimacy with pets.
Other than that, this therapy is providing recreational, motivation, and socialization benefits, and decreasing the symptoms in baby boomers with dementia.
Exercise
Functional disability is an essential problem for aging boomers and 95% of them have a limitation of at least one activity in everyday living. Among the greatest advantages of exercise to baby boomers is improved physical functioning. It will also help you in improving chronic conditions that most commonly result in disability, such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and intermittent claudication.
Massage therapy
One of the possible biological explanations for pain relief with relation to massage therapy is supported by animal studies. Massage is able to increase the synthesis of endogenous opioids, which is inhibiting pain by means of activating the descending inhibitory system of the pain. This effect will be increased through repeated massage treatment and it can result in a decreased use of analgesic therapy through time. It has essential implications for older people, who are at bigger risk for adverse effects of analgesic medications.
More than a million of people in the United States required skilled facilities for provision of services that maintain the highest level of mental, physical, and psychosocial well-being of people, most particularly aging boomers. Using alternative health through complementary therapies can help these people live longer and healthier.
See Also: Health, Nutrition, Wellness, Massage and Health Resources
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